Aptitude Cleansing Fruit!

The magma struck the rock wall behind him, melting a crater into its surface as scorching molten slurry slowly trickled down the wall.

As he dodged, he condensed a golden light blade in his right hand and slashed toward the Earthfire Lizard's side of the neck. The strike was incredibly fast, leaving a golden afterimage through the air.

The Earthfire Lizard's reaction was not slow either. It abruptly pulled its head back, allowing the light blade to graze past the scales atop its head.

A shallow cut appeared on the scales, but it did not reach the flesh.

It immediately swung its tail, its scorching tip sweeping toward Qian Shengyuan with Soul Power behind it.

Qian Shengyuan steadied himself with his six wings, twisting through the cramped airspace and narrowly avoiding the tip of that tail.

The heatwave stirred up by the tail brushed past the edge of his robe, scorching a small blackened patch into its hem.

His gaze grew more serious. This soul beast's reaction speed and offensive strength within the lava river environment had exceeded his expectations.

But a Super Douluo was still a Super Douluo.

After dodging for the sixth time, Qian Shengyuan finally found an opening. At the instant the Earthfire Lizard's attention was briefly drawn by the Soul Power fluctuations Mo Yuan released from the flank, his golden light blade precisely cut beneath its jaw. Its scales were thinnest there—its only weak point.

The light blade sank in.

The Earthfire Lizard's movements abruptly froze. The light in its dark-red vertical pupils rapidly faded, and moments later, its enormous body crashed to the ground. Splattered magma burst across the floor in showers of sparks.

Qian Shengyuan landed on the ground, his breathing slightly more hurried than usual, but it soon steadied.

He withdrew the golden light blade and turned toward the fruit tree on the stone platform. The fruit still hung quietly from its branch, glowing with a warm reddish-gold luster beneath the red light of the lava river.

He walked over, carefully picked the fruit, sealed it inside a specially made jade box, and stored it in his storage ring.

"Let's go," Qian Shengyuan said. "We'll talk after we get out."

Mo Yuan emerged from the shadows at the side. The two did not linger and quickly headed upward along the path they had taken in.

Behind them, the lava river continued flowing in silence. The Earthfire Lizard's corpse lay sprawled before the stone platform, gradually covered by the heat and ash drifting from the lava river.

By the time the two returned to the surface, dusk was approaching.

Qian Shengyuan stood outside the cavern entrance, feeling the cool evening breeze blow toward him. He lowered his head and glanced at the place in his storage ring where the jade box rested.

He had obtained an Aptitude Cleansing Fruit more than a thousand years old.

With this, Li Long's Innate Soul Power foundation could be improved significantly.

By the time they returned to Spirit City, it was already late at night.

Qian Shengyuan did not disturb anyone. He went straight back to his study, placed the jade box in the center of the long desk, then sat down.

The entire jade box had been polished from specially made cold jade. A thin layer of white frost constantly covered its surface, effectively locking in the medicinal potency of heavenly treasures.

Even through the jade walls, he could vaguely see the outline of the reddish-gold fruit resting quietly inside, as though it were still slowly radiating a trace of warmth.

Qian Shengyuan did not open it right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and meditated for a while.

Though the battle in the Earthfire Lava Cavern had not lasted long, fighting at full strength in such an extreme environment had consumed no small amount of stamina and Soul Power.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he opened his eyes and reached out to open the jade box. The Aptitude Cleansing Fruit was fully revealed beneath the lamplight.

The fruit was slightly smaller than when it had been picked, but its color had become even richer. The patterns across its surface flowed with a flame-like reddish-gold radiance beneath the light.

Its scent carried a deep, mellow sweetness, like the aroma of mineral veins buried underground for centuries fused with warm magma.

Qian Shengyuan lowered his head and examined it carefully for a moment.

This fruit was older than he had initially estimated. Though the fruit on the tree crown had been the size of a fist, the density of its patterns and the depth of its color both indicated an age of roughly two thousand years.

A two-thousand-year Aptitude Cleansing Fruit was far more effective than one that was merely a thousand years old. If taken properly, it could raise Li Long's Innate Soul Power from rank three to at least rank five, perhaps even close to rank six.

He closed the jade box again and rose to his feet.

It was late, but he had no intention of putting this matter off until tomorrow.

Li Long should still be cultivating. Delivering it now would be just right.

The lights of the East Courtyard were indeed still on.

When Qian Shengyuan reached the courtyard gate, it was not fully closed. Through the gap, he could see Li Long sitting cross-legged beneath the corridor, his hands hovering over his knees as Soul Power slowly circulated around him. He was performing the nightly cycle of the Guidance Method.

He slowed his steps and did not make a sound to disturb him, simply waiting at the entrance.

A moment later, Li Long opened his eyes. Upon seeing the figure at the gate, he was briefly stunned, then rose and bowed. "Master, why have you come so late?"

Qian Shengyuan entered the courtyard and placed the jade box on the low table beneath the corridor.

The cold jade surface of the box gave off a faint white mist beneath the night lamp.

He tapped the lid and went straight to the point. "I brought you something: an Aptitude Cleansing Fruit, two thousand years old. I picked it from the depths of the Earthfire Lava Cavern in Sunset Forest today. It can cleanse your meridians, widen your Soul Power channels, and strengthen your Innate Soul Power foundation."

Li Long's gaze settled on the jade box. After a moment, he looked up at Qian Shengyuan.

He knew what an Aptitude Cleansing Fruit was. Ancient records described it as an extremely rare treasure, produced only in limited locations. Every fruit tree grew in extreme environments and was guarded by high-level soul beasts.

Qian Shengyuan had personally gone to retrieve it, and a two-thousand-year fruit like this was likely impossible to find a second of anywhere on the continent.

"Master, this..." Li Long began, wanting to say something.

Qian Shengyuan waved him off. "No need to thank me. You are my personal disciple. If something is meant for you, then it should be given to you. This fruit is quite old, and its medicinal potency is strong. After taking it, you will go through a rather painful process. Your meridians will be widened and cleansed. The entire process will be more agonizing than absorbing a soul ring. Be mentally prepared."

Li Long nodded and did not offer any more polite words.

He reached out and opened the jade box. The reddish-gold fruit lay quietly within, exuding a steady, weighty aura.

He could sense the Soul Power fluctuations contained within its surface. They were faint, yet exceptionally pure, like the essence of earthfire compressed into a fist-sized core.

"Take it now?" Li Long asked.

"Now," Qian Shengyuan said. "I'll stand guard beside you. The fruit's medicinal potency needs Soul Power guidance to be absorbed to the greatest extent. Operate the Guidance Method yourself to assist it, and leave everything outside to me. The process should last about one night and ought to be completed before dawn."

Li Long took the fruit from the jade box and held it in his palm.

It was warm to the touch, with a thin oily feel on its surface.

He took a deep breath and put it into his mouth, biting through it.

The instant the peel split apart, a stream of scorching juice slid down his throat into his abdomen. Then the heat erupted within his body. It was not an explosive tearing sensation, but a denser, slowly permeating heat, as though every one of his meridians were being soaked from within by warm magma.